


Teams beat the odds

by Signe_chan



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Coming Out, Fluff, M/M, we're a team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 10:01:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8158187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Signe_chan/pseuds/Signe_chan
Summary: Being in a relationship is about taking care of each other.





	

Jack waited until 7 before creeping out of Bitty’s bed. Bitty sired and Jack froze, doing his best to not even breath too loudly until Bitty settled back into sleep. Once he was sure he slid the rest of the way out of the bed and tucked the blankets back in around Bitty. He wanted to image his warmth lingering there against Bitty’s skin. 

He dressed in his shirt and slacks then slipped out onto the landing. Being in the haus this early in the morning was nostalgic. Almost like he’d never left. Almost like nothing had ever changed. 

He padded down the stairs in his bare feet and into the kitchen. Bitty’s kitchen. This place more than any other reminded him of Bitty. It was, after all, where he’d fallen in love. The place where Bitty was the most himself. Jack suspected that it was because, in a kitchen, Bitty knew his place. His roll. How to fit himself into their lives and be valued. It was only when you watched Bitty in the kitchen, really watched him, that you started to notice the lines of tension that normally ran under his skin. As though he was always waiting for the next disaster. 

Jack had become something of an expert in Bitty. Or, if not a full expert, then at least a keen observer. 

Keen enough to know that though Bitty had assured him things were fine, they really weren’t. 

He made a pot of coffee and waited. 

Lardo was the first one down the stairs. She was yawning and rubbing her eyes and when she saw him she froze mid gesture, blinked for a second, then stepped into the kitchen. 

“Jack.” 

“Hey,” he said, smiling. “Coffee’s on.” 

Lardo nodded as though it made perfect sense for him to be there. She got out two pots and poured them. He watched her make one to her own specification and one to Shitty’s. He smiled at that. He’d been worried about Shitty. He’d not been doing as well as law school as he wanted them all to think – but if things were solid with Lardo that’d go a long way. 

Once she’d made the coffee she carried them both to the table and sat down across from him. 

“Don’t you need to take that one up.” 

She shrugged. “He’ll realise I’m not coming in a while and drag himself downstairs. He has to be on the road soon anyway. Why are you here?” 

“Bitty,” he said. She raised on eyebrow. Jack couldn’t help his hand tightening around his mug. This...this was the point of no return. Well, Lardo probably knew. She wasn’t an idiot. But if he backed down now, she’d let him. And nobody would have to know. 

He wasn’t doing this for himself though. He was doing this for his boyfriend. 

“He...he’s been stressed lately. Because of something I’ve asked of him. So I’m not asking it of him any more.” 

“You’re sure?” she said. And when he nodded she smiled. “Go on then.” 

“Bitty’s my boyfriend.” The soft smile confirmed that she already knew. 

“Thank you for telling me.” 

“Brah?” Their heads both snapped round. Shitty was stood in the door looking shocked. Jack tensed. He couldn’t help it. He’d spent a long time with the vague, nagging guilt of having not talked to Shitty about this before. It wasn’t like he hadn’t had a million chances. “Brah this is...this is so swawesome. You and Bitts, I should have fucking seen it, man!” 

“Made you coffee,” Lardo said, smiling again. 

“Sweet.” 

Shitty made his way to the table, paused, then detoured to pull Jack into a rough hug. Jack returned it with a little more enthusiasm than usual. Not that he wasn’t always happy to hug Shitty but, well. 

They fell into easy conversation. Shitty burnt them some toast and told a few anecdotes about Harvard. Jack talked a little about what it had been like to see Parse again. It was strange in all the ways that it was the same and different. Same people, same place, but they’d both grown since they’d left. 

Maybe there really was no looking back. 

Then, footsteps on the stairs. Jack was watching so he was able to see Bitty’s sadness flicker to joy then quickly to worry as he took in the three of them. 

“Um...hi...” he said, frowning at Jack. Jack smiled back at him. 

“I told them.” 

“Jack...” 

“It’s cool, brah. You’re secret is my secret and all,” Shitty said, standing up to sling an arm around Bitty. Bitty winced a little at the contact, pulled in a fraction. 

“I...” 

Jack stood. He took his pot to the sink and then made his way over, gently extracting Bitty from Shitty’s enthusiasm. 

“Come on,” he said, catching Bitty’s hand and leading him out of the room. Bitty just followed back up to the bedroom. He looked as though he was struggling to catch up with all this and Jack wondered if he should have brought some coffee up. Though Bitty didn’t normally need caffeine to get going in the morning like Shitty did. 

“Jack,” Bitty said again, confusion in his tone. “I thought we decided not to tell them?” 

“Sit,” Jack said, manoeuvring Bitty back onto the bed. He followed a minute later, sitting and taking Bitty’s hands. “I’ve been thinking a lot. You...you’re amazing, Bitty. You’ve got to know that. But I’ve noticed that when it comes to asking for things for yourself...you’re not so great.” 

“I don’t need anything. I’m just fine.” 

“Everyone needs things, Bitts,” Jack said, patiently. “And it’s okay to ask for them. I want you to be able to ask for the things you need from me. That’s what being a team is.” 

“But I didn’t need...” 

“I’m not proposing we tell the whole team or anything. But Shitty and Lardo, they’re my best friends other than you, Bitts. Trusting them is a risk, you’re right, but it’s so small. They won’t tell. Holster and Ransom won’t tell. Chowder won’t tell. These people, I trust them. And the risk that they won’t live up to that...I’ll take that risk to make you happy.” 

“You shouldn’t have to?” 

“Bitts, it took me a lot of therapy to be able to ask for the things I need. To be able to see that the best relationships involve giving and taking and by not giving my friends a chance to give, I was stunting those relationships.

“I want to give you the world, Bitts. I know I can’t right now, I know, but I can give you this. I can give you this house and these friends. This place where we can be open and happy and not care who knows. Please, Bitts. Can I give you this?” 

There was a second’s pause then Bitty nodded. Jack smiled and pulled Bitty close, letting him burry his face in Jack shoulder. These was a dampness there but Jack just smiled. Tears could be cathartic and he’d meant everything that he said. 

“Together,” he whispered into Bitty’s hair. 

“Together,” Bitty replied.

From above them came the familiar sounds of Ransom and Holster moving around. Across the hall, Chowder has turned his music on. Jack stood and offered Bitty his hand. 

“Ready to do this?” 

“Yeah,” Bitty said, his smile soft and warm. “Let’s.”


End file.
